Automatic lock slider for slide fasteners



April 11, 1961 A. M. BROWN 2,978,772

AUTOMATIC LOCK SLIDER FOR SLIDE FASTENERS Filed June 9, 1958 I r E 46 /0 /4z g T 17 4 lHlll x 7 v BY 7 (4 4 men/5;

Unite ttes AUTOMATIC LOCK SLIDER FOR SLIDE FASTENERS Alexander M. Brown, Meadville, Pa., assignor to Talon, Inc., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed June 9, 1958, Set. No. 740,913

9 Claims. (Cl. 24-20514) This invention relates to sliders for slide fasteners, and more particularly, to an improved automatic lock slider therefor.

Automatic lock sliders are now in common use in connection with slide fasteners. Such sliders lock automatically in any position along the fastener stringers when the pull member is released and are unlocked automatically when the pull member is grasped to move the slider in either an opening or closing direction along the fastener. Many types of automatic lock sliders have heretofore been suggested and used. Some have been satisfactory and others unsatisfactory. Most automatic lock sliders heretofore suggested and used were cumbersome and consisted of a multiplicity of parts which were difficult and expensive to fabricate and assemble.

Accordingly, it is the general object of the present invention to provide an improved automatic lock slider for slide fasteners in which all of the above mentioned disadvantages are eliminated.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved automatic lock slider which is simple and inexpensive in its construction and which consists of a minimum number of parts and whichcan be easily fabricated.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an automatic lock slider which has a relatively fiat appearance and a minimum over-all thickness and which is efficient and effective in its use.

Various other objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent in the course of the following specification, and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompan dng drawings, there is shown for the purpose of illustration, an embodiment which my invention may assume in practice.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the improved slider of the present invention,

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the parts of the slider shown in Fig. 1 to illustrate more clearly the assembling of the parts,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1, showing a fragmentary part of a slide fastener in the slider channel.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the improved lock slider of the present invention consists of a slider body 2 having a pair of spaced-apart upper and lower wing portions 3 and 4, respectively, integrally connected together at one end by a neck portion 5 and having marginal flange portions 6 so as to provide a substan tially Y-shaped channel between the wing portions. The slider is adapted to be mounted on slide fastener stringers to engage and disengage the fastener elements in its longitudinal movement therealong in a manner well known to those skilled in the art.

In order to illustrate diagrammatically the locking principle of my improved slider, there is shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, in broken lines, a series of spaced-apart 2,978,772 Patented Apr. 11, 1961 2 interlocking fastener elements 7 arranged along the opposed edges of the stringer tapes8.

According to the present invention, there is mounted on the upper wing 3 of the slider body 2 an elongated locking member 9 which is preferably arcuated so as to provide a centrally arched or loop-like portion 10. This locking member is made preferably from relatively thin, fiat metallic stock which is inherently resilient. One end of this locking member 9 immediately beyond the looplike portion 10 is preferably bifurcated, as at 12, so as to provide a pair of transversely extending opposed trunnion-like portions 14. Between and above these trunnion portions 14, there is provided a longitudinally extending lip-like resilient portion 15 which is struck up from the material of the locking member which provides the bifurcation 12.

On the upper end of this wing 3 the slider body adjacent the neck portion 5 thereof, there is arranged a luglike portion 16 having a recess 17 arranged in either side thereof. The bifurcated end 12 of the locking member 9 straddles this lug-like portion 16 and the trunnion-like portions 14 are disposed loosely in the opposed recesses 17 thereof. The lip-like resilient portion 15 of the locking member rests on the upper end of this lug-like portion 16, as at 18, with a portion thereof overhanging the edge of the lug-like portion, as at 19.

On the opposite or lower end of the locking member 9, there is arranged a locking projection 20 which extends into and through an aperture 21 in the upper wing and normally into the slider channel. There is also arranged on the upper wing 3 adjacent the aperture 21 therein, a finger-like portion 22 which extends into and through a window or opening 23 in the locking member 9 adjacent the locking projection 20 carried thereby so as to cooperate with the lower wall 24 of the opening to limit the outward movement of the locking projection in a manner to be hereinafter described.

There is provided a pull or actuating member 25 having a continuous transversely extending trunnion portion 26 arranged at one end thereof. This trunnion portion 26 is disposed in under the loop-like portion 10 of the locking member 9 so as to be positioned between the locking member and the upper wing 3 of the slider body.

Having described the construction of my improved lock slider, it functions in the following manner. It will be assumed that the pull member 25 is in its normal position parallel to and against the upper wing 3 as shown in the full lines of Fig. 3 of the drawings. In such positionof the pull member, it will be seen that the locking projec tion 20 of the locking member 9 is disposed in the space between two adjacent fastener elements 7 arranged along the fastener stringers in locked position. The locking projection is held in such locked position due to the action of lip-like resilient projecting portion 15 which is arranged integral therewith and which always bears against the lug-like portion 16 of the wing 3.

When the pull member 25 is grasped to move the slider along the fastener elements to open or close the fastener, it is moved out of parallelism with the wings to substantially the position as shown in the broken lines of Fig. 3. In such position it will be seen that the trunnion portion 26 thereof abuts the underside of the locking member 9 thereby moving the locking projection 20 carried thereby out of the space between the fastener elements 7 to unlocked position against the action of the lip-like resilient portion 15, thereby permitting the slider to move freely along the fastener elements. When the pull member 25 is released the locking projection 20 is again moved to its locked position in the space between two other adjacent fastener elements due to the action of the resilient lip-like portion 15.

As a result of my invention, it will be seen that there is provided an automatic lock slider for slide fasteners consisting of a minimum number of parts which can be conveniently and inexpensively fabricated and assembled so as to providea neat'and rugged assembly which is efficient and effective iniits use. 1

While I have shown and described an, embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this embodiment is merely for the pur pose of illustration and description, and that other forms may be devised within the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.-

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a lock slider for slide fasteners, a slider body comprising a pair of spaced-apart wing portions connected at one end by a neck portion so as to provide a channel therebetween, a relatively flat, yieldable locking member mounted on one of said wing portions having a loop like portion arranged therein intermediate the length thereof, a pair of opposed transversely extending trunnion-like portions carriedby said locking member immediately rearwardly of said loop portion, means arranged on said wing portion adjacent said neck portion which co-operates with said trunnion-like portions to hold the locking member hingedly in position on said wing portion, said locking member having a tongue-like portion struck up from the material of said body member between said trunnionlike portions and positioned thereabove and bearing against said last mentioned means, a locking projection arranged on the opposite end of said locking member which extends through an opening in said wing into the slider channel forwardly of said loop portion, means carried by said wing portion adjacent said opening which co-operates with the locking member adjacent the locking projection to limit the outward movement of said locking projection, and a pull member having a trunnion portion on one end thereof which is disposed between the loop-like portion of said locking member and said wing portion.

2. In a lock slider for slide fasteners, the combination as defined in claim 1, wherein the means carried by the wing portion which co-operates with the trunnion-like portions for holding the locking member in position on the wing portion consists of a lug-like portion carried by the wing portion in under which said trunnion-like portions are movably disposed.

3. In a lock slider for slide fasteners, a slider body comprising a pair of spaced-apart wing portions connected at one end by a neck portion so as to provide a channel member at one end thereof immediately rearwardly of said loop-like portion, a lug-like portion arranged on said wing portion adjacent said neck portion having an opening therein in which the trunnion-like portions are hingedly and loosely disposed and with which they cooperate for holding the locking member in position on said wing portion, said locking member having a. re-

silient lip-like projecting portion extending rearwardly of said loop-like portion between said trunnion-like portions and positioned thereabove and which abuts said lug-like portion and having a locking projection on the opposite end thereof forwardly of said loop-like portion which projects normally into the slider channel, and a pull member having a trunnion portion on one end thereof which is disposed between the loop-like portion of said locking member and said wing portion.

4. In a lock slider for slide fasteners, a slider body comprising a pair of-spaced-apart wing portions connected at one end by a neck portion so as to provide a channel therebetween, a relatively flat, yieldable locking member mounted on one of said wing portions having 4 a a loop-like portion arranged therein intermediate the length thereof, transversely extending engageable means carried by said locking member immediately rearwardly of said loop-like portion at one end thereof, means arranged on said wing portion adjacent said neck portion to which said engageable means ishingedly and loosely connected, a resilient tongue-like portion carried by that endof said locking member which extends beyond said loop-like por' tion and above said engageable means and which bears against said last mentioned means, a locking projection arranged on the opposite end of said locking member which extends into and through an opening in said wing portion into the slider channel, means carried by said wing portion adjacent said locking projection which cooperates with means carried by the locking member to limit the outward movement of said locking projection, and a pull member having a trunnion portion on one end thereof which is disposed between the loop-like portion of said locking member and said wing portion for manipulating the slider and said locking member.

5. In a lock slider for slide fasteners, a slider body comprising a pair of spaced-apart wing portions connected at one end by a neck portion so as to provide a channel therebetween, a relatively fiat, yieldable locking member mounted on one of said wing portions having a loop-like portion arranged therein intermediate the length thereof,

transversely extending engageable means carried by said locking member immediately rearwardly of said looplike portion at one end thereof, means arranged on said wing portion adjacent said neck portion to which said engageable means is hingedly and loosely connected, a

resilient tongue-like portion carried by that end of said locking member which extends outwardly beyond said loop-like portion and above said engageable means and which bears against said last mentioned means, a locking projection arranged on the opposite end of said locking member which extends into and through an opening in said Wing portion into the slider channel, said locking member having an aperture arranged therein adjacent said locking projection, a finger-like portion carried by said wing portion which extend into said aperture to limit the outward movement of said locking projection, and a pull member having a trunnion portion on one end thereof which is disposed between the loop-like portion of said locking member and said wing portion for manipulating the slider and said locking member.

6. In a lock slider for slide fasteners, a slider body comprising a pair of spacedapa.rt wing portions connected at one end by a neck portion so as to provide a channel therebetween, a relatively fiat, yieldable locking member mounted on one of said wing portions having a loop-like portion arranged therein intermediate the length thereof, a pair of spaced-apart opposed transversely extending trunnion-like portions carried by said locking member immediately rearwardly of said loop-like portion, a lug-like portion arranged on said wing portion adjacent said neck portion having a transversely extending opening arranged therein in which the trunnion-like portions of said locking member are loosely disposed, a resilient tongue-like portion carried by that end of said locking member which extends outwardly beyond said loop-like portion and which is positioned above and between said trunnion-like portions and bears against the upper side of said lug-like portion, a locking projection arranged on the opposite end of said locking member which extends into and through an opening in said wing portion into the slider channel, means carried by said wing'portion adjacent said locking projection which co-operates with means carried by the locking member to limit the outward movement of said locking projection, and a pull member having a trunnion portion on one end thereof which is disposed between the loop-like portion of saidlocking member and said wing portion for manipulating the slider and said locking member I 7. In a lock slider for slide fasteners,- a slider body comprising a pair of spaced-apart wing portions connected at one end by a neck portion so as to provide a channel therebetween, a relatively flat, yieldable locking member mounted on one of said wing portions having a loop-like portion arranged therein intermediate the length thereof, transversely extending engageable means carried by said locking member at one end thereof immediately rearwardly of said loop-like portion, a lug-like portion arranged on said wing portion adjacent said neck portion to which said last mentioned means is loosely connected, a resilient tongue-like portion carried by that end of said locking member which extends outwardly beyond said loop-like portion and above said engageable means and which bears against the upper side of said lug-like portion, a locking projection arranged on the opposite end of said locking member which extends into and through an opening in said wing portion into the slider channel, said locking member having an aperture arranged therein adjacent said locking projection, a finger-like portion carried by said wing portion which extends into said aperture to limit the outward movement of said locking projection, and a pull member having a trunnion portion on one end thereof which is disposed between the loop-like portion of said locking member and said wing portion for manipulating the slider and said locking member.

8. In a lock slider for slide fasteners, a slider body comprising a pair of spaced-apart wing portions connee-ted at one end by a neck portion 50 as to provide a channel therebetween, a relatively fiat, yieldable locking member mounted on one of said wing portions having a loop-like portion arranged therein intermediate the length thereof, a pair of spaced-apart opposed transversely extending trunnion-like portions carried by said locking member immediately rearwardly of said loop-like por-' tion, a lug-like portion carried by said wing portion adjacent said neck portion having a transversely extending opening arranged therein in which the trunnion-like portions of said locking member are loosely disposed, a resilient tongue-like portion carried by that end of said locking member which extends outwardly beyond said loop-like portion and which is positioned'above and between said trunnion-like portions and bears against the upper side of said lug-like portion, a locking projection arranged on the opposite end of said locking member which extends into and through an opening in said wing portion into the slider channel, a finger-like portion carried by said wing portion adjacent said locking projection which co-operates with means carried by said locking member to limit the outward movement of said locking projection, and a pull member having a trunnion portion on one end thereof which is disposed between the loop-like portion of said locking member and said wing portion for manipulating the slider and said locking member.

9. In a lock slider for slide fasteners, a slider body comprising a pair of spaced-apart wing portions connected at one end by a neck portion so as to provide a channel therebetween, a relatively flat, yieldable locking member mounted on one of said wing portions having a loop-like portion arranged therein intermediate the length thereof, a pair of spaced-apart transversely extending opposed trunnion-like portions carrier by said locking member immediately rearwardly of said looplike portion, a lug-like portion arranged on said Wing portion adjacent said neck portion having a transversely extending opening arranged therein in which the trunnion-like portions of said locking member are loosely disposed, a resilient tongue-like portion carried by that end of said locking member which extends outwardly beyond said loop-like portion and which is positioned above and between said trunnion-like portions and bears against the upper side of said lug-like portion, a locking projection arranged on the opposite end of said looking member which extends into and through an opening in said wing portion into the slider channel, said locking member having an aperture arranged therein adjacent said locking projection, a finger-like portion carried by said wing portion which extends into said aperture to limit the outward movement of said locking projection, and a pull member having a trunnion portion on one end thereof which is disposed between the loop-like portion of said locking member and said wing portion for manipulating the slider and said locking member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Weber Nov. 3, 1953 

